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Chapter 154: The Vault (4)

I held the core in my hand, its faint glow pulsing with the energy I would need in the future. As I straightened up, I could feel the chamber shifting again—the dungeon's magic preparing to send more illusions, more real threats hidden among the false.

The first wave had been manageable. The illusions were easy to see through once I understood the trick, and the real monsters had been sloppy, their presence betrayed by the subtle disturbance of death mana. But I knew better than to get comfortable. This dungeon wasn't about to let me off easy.

And sure enough, the air shifted again. The temperature dropped, and I could feel the familiar hum of illusions weaving themselves into existence. The second wave was upon me.

SWOOSH!

The first elusive creature lunged forward, its fanged mouth snapping at the air around me. I sidestepped effortlessly, my estoc flashing out in a clean arc. Nothing. The illusion dissolved the moment my blade passed through it, as expected. But just behind it, hidden in the shadows, was something real. A flash of light reflected off its sharpened claws.

SWOOSH! SLASH!

Blood splattered once more as the second real monster fell, its body crumpling to the ground in a twisted heap. The same pattern, only now the illusions were growing more aggressive, more intertwined with the real.

[Again,] Vitaliara muttered. [They're trying to overwhelm you; mix the real with the false. What is the point of all this even?]

"What is the point, you say," I muttered, pulling my estoc free from the fallen creature, its blood pooling at my feet. "You'll see the reason soon enough."

I knew this dungeon, like everything Arlen Morrowind had designed, was far from random. Every test, every monster, every illusion served a purpose. It wasn't about brute strength, not here. The first wave of Arachasaes had been deliberate—a classic dungeon setup to give me a sense of what to expect, to lull me into the idea that this was just another typical challenge.

Then the illusions had begun, weaving deception into the very fabric of the dungeon's trials. It wasn't merely about confusing me; it was meant to corrode my focus, wear down my resolve.

So, why these endless waves? Why the constant barrage of illusions mixed with the real?

The reason will reveal itself soon.

[Is that so?] Vitaliara said and I could sense the curiousness in her voice. [If that is what you say, then I will be waiting.]

"That would be nice."

Saying that, I focused around myself once again.

More illusions swarmed around me, but I wasn't fazed. My senses were honed now, finely tuned to the subtle differences in mana. Life and death energy wove together, and the real monsters stood out like beacons amidst the smoke of illusion.

The third wave came harder. Faster. The illusions were getting trickier, blending seamlessly with their real counterparts. But each time, I adapted. I'd let the false ones come close, just close enough to slip by, while my blade found its mark in the real ones. Each time, the feeling of cutting through real flesh was unmistakable.

SWOOSH! SLASH! SPURT!

The fifth real monster dropped, its core now in my hand, joining the others I'd collected. The chamber pulsed as if growing frustrated with my persistence. The waves kept coming, but I was unrelenting.

By the time the sixth wave came, I could feel the dungeon itself growing desperate. The illusions were no longer mere phantoms—they were layered with complexity, trying to confuse me, to mask the real threats with more cunning. But the rhythm had already settled in. I could anticipate the dungeon's moves now.

One illusion darted forward; I didn't even flinch. Another circled to my side, but I could feel the real monster approaching from behind.

SWOOSH! SLASH!

Another monster fell to the ground, its body crumpling as I yanked my blade free. The core joined the others in my hand, but I could feel the shift in the air once more. The dungeon wasn't finished. Not yet.

Suddenly, I felt a presence—stronger, darker. A surge of mana rippled through the chamber, far more potent than anything I'd felt in the earlier waves. This wasn't just another illusion or a low-level creature hiding among them. No, this one was real. And its strength was closer to mine.

Out of the swirling mass of illusions, the real threat emerged. Its massive form moved with unsettling grace for something so large.

This was a peak 3-star monster, a creature called Mazekar, its body a twisted fusion of jagged stone and dark, pulsing flesh. Its eyes glowed with a deep, sinister light, and its massive claws dripped with venomous energy.

I raised my estoc, but I knew immediately that this fight would be different. Mazekar was no simple monster—it was intelligent and fast.

And most importantly a monster that could pose a threat to my life.

The illusions around me danced, shifting and twisting, making it harder to predict its movements. The mana in the chamber was thick with deception, each illusion a distraction, clouding my senses and masking the real threat's true intent.

SWOOSH!

The beast lunged at me, its massive claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. I dodged, barely, the wind from its strike brushing against my face. My eyes darted around, trying to see through the illusions, but they blurred and blended into each other, creating a web of confusion. I couldn't rely on my sight alone anymore.

I countered, thrusting my estoc toward its chest, but Mazekar was ready. It deflected my strike with a swift, brutal motion, its claws clashing against my blade, sending a shockwave through my arm. The power behind its strike was immense—this was not a creature I could simply cut down with one clean blow.

[This one's no joke,] Vitaliara murmured, a note of warning in her voice.

"I can tell," I muttered, shifting my stance as I prepared for the next attack.

SWOOSH!

It came at me again, its claws tearing through the space between us. I dodged to the side, but just as I moved, an illusion of the monster appeared from the other direction, almost indistinguishable from the real one. For a split second, I hesitated—just enough for Mazekar to close the gap.

Its claws raked across my side, the venom sizzling as it met my mana barrier. Pain flared, but I didn't let it slow me down. I spun, using the momentum to strike back, my estoc glowing with the power of starlight. The blade sliced through the air, aiming for Mazekar's exposed flank, but once again, it anticipated the move.

CLANG!

Our weapons clashed again, and I was forced to step back, breathing hard as the illusions danced around me, their movements mirroring Mazekar's real form so perfectly that every strike, every dodge, felt like I was fighting multiple enemies at once.

My senses were failing me. The air was thick with deception, the mana distorting reality itself. Each step I took, each swing of my estoc, was met with uncertainty.

SWOOSH! SLASH!

I dodged, but not fast enough. Mazekar's claws raked across my arm, slicing through the fabric and grazing my skin.

"Hisss…."

A sharp pain flared, and I could feel the venom sizzling as it met my mana barrier, slowly eroding it. I bit back the pain, pushing forward with a retaliatory strike, but the beast was already gone, slipping back into the web of illusions.

"Damn it!" I muttered under my breath, frustration rising as I struggled to discern the real Mazekar among the countless false forms. My sight, my hearing—none of it was enough.

They were failing me.

'No, calm down. What are you doing?'

In the novel, this fight would not progress like this as the male lead of the magic tower would use annihilation magic to blast this whole place open.

But I can not do something like that.

For now.

Which is why I need to think of something different.

CLANG!

Our blades clashed once again, the force of Mazekar's strike sending a shockwave through my arm, rattling my bones. I stumbled back, my breathing heavy, sweat dripping down my forehead. The illusions tightened around me, making it impossible to see, to predict. Every time I thought I had the real one, it vanished, replaced by a phantom.

The beast was playing with me, using the dungeon's magic to its full advantage.

And in the chaos, I was taking hit after hit. Another slash across my leg. A near-miss to my chest. The venom was slowly weakening my barrier, the pain starting to accumulate.

I had to think.

I couldn't rely on my senses anymore—not my sight, not my hearing, not even my mana perception. All of it was being deceived by the dungeon, twisted and corrupted. But there was something else—something deeper, something I had learned over countless battles.

The answer was laid right before my eyes.

Instinct.

That was the answer.

Chapter 155: The Vault (5)

Instinct.

All those times I had fought for my life, those moments when everything hung in the balance, when the edge between survival and death was razor-thin—that had honed something beyond my senses. A battlefield instinct, something primal that had guided me in the most dangerous moments. It wasn't about seeing the enemy, or even feeling them through mana. It was about trusting in the battle itself.

I took a deep breath, the pain in my body fading to the background. I closed my eyes.

Trust your instincts.

The world went dark, the sounds of Mazekar's claws scraping the ground blending with the illusionary whispers. But in the stillness of the dark, I could feel it—a faint pulse, a rhythm in the chaos. It was subtle, barely there, but it was real.

Mazekar's presence.

I waited, my estoc steady in my hand, as the illusions swirled around me, trying to confuse, to distract. I ignored them, letting the false images pass by as if they didn't exist. They were nothing but shadows.

And then, I felt it—a slight shift in the air, the real Mazekar moving toward me, hidden among the phantoms.

There.

The instant it lunged, I moved. My eyes remained closed, but my body knew where to go, my estoc swinging in a precise arc. The black flames of the Flame of Equinox ignited, cutting through the air with lethal precision.

CLANG!

This time, I hit something solid. The real Mazekar.

I felt the force of the impact as my blade met its jagged stone-like hide. The beast let out a roar, its claws slashing toward me in retaliation, but I was already moving. My body flowed with the rhythm of the fight, each step guided not by sight, but by instinct.

I ducked under its swipe, the venomous energy missing me by inches. My estoc glowed with the combined power of starlight and death energy as I twisted, driving the blade toward its exposed flank. This time, I wasn't deceived. I wasn't fooled.

The strike landed clean.

Mazekar screeched, the sound echoing through the chamber as my blade tore into its side, black flames searing its flesh. I pressed the attack, my eyes still closed, trusting in the instincts that had been carved into me through battle after battle. The illusions swirled around me, but they couldn't touch me. I was beyond them now.

Mazekar lunged again, but I was ready. My estoc moved with the fluidity of water, deflecting its claws, redirecting its force just as I had done with Korvan. Each strike I made cut deeper, each movement more precise, as I began to wear it down.

This was the difference.

Between reacting and knowing.

And as I felt the beast stagger, its strength waning, I knew the end was near.

"Grrrr….Grrrr….."

"Raaaaa!"

"ROOOAAAAR!"

The sounds of the other monsters were coming from all across. I could even picture everything within my mind as their illusions could even affect my head just by voices.

There were countless different monsters all around attacking me in the form of an illusion.

THUD!

Yet, my ears picked the real sound.

The sound of staggering back.

Indeed.

Mazekar staggered back, its jagged stone hide cracked and bleeding where my estoc had struck, but I didn't move in for the killing blow.

Not yet.

This fight—this moment—it was more than just survival.

It was an opportunity.

A rare chance to train, to refine the instincts that had saved me countless times before. In the heat of battle, I had no choice but to trust them, and now was no different.

Sometimes in battle, your eyes couldn't see everything. Sometimes, your mind could be outwitted, overwhelmed by the chaos of the fight or by an opponent more cunning than you. In those moments, there was only one thing left to rely on—instinct. The primal knowledge that had been carved into your very bones through countless fights, where every move was life or death.

I let Mazekar lunge again, feeling the pulse of its movement through the air, the shift in mana as it twisted its massive body. My eyes remained closed, but my body moved, fluid and precise. I stepped back, narrowly avoiding its venomous claws, and instead of countering with a lethal blow, I deflected its strike, guiding its power away from me.

'Not yet,' I thought.

This wasn't just about defeating Mazekar. It was about pushing my instincts to their limits, honing them until they were as sharp as the blade in my hand. I knew I could end this quickly—I had the power, the skills, even the black flames of the Flame of Equinox. But that wasn't the point. I needed to train. I needed to become better.

So, I held back.

I limited my power, deliberately slowing my movements just enough to test my reactions, to feel every shift in the air, every pulse of danger. I didn't rely on my master's swordsmanship, the techniques that had been passed down to me. No, this was about something deeper. It was about me, about trusting the instincts that had carried me through so many battles.

Mazekar screeched again, enraged by the fact that it couldn't land a solid hit. Its claws slashed wildly, venom dripping from the tips, but I danced around them, always just out of reach. My estoc moved in response, deflecting its strikes without delivering a killing blow. I let it think it was closing in, that it had a chance, even though I could feel its strength waning with each failed attack.

This was the training I needed.

In the chaos of a real fight, sometimes raw power wasn't enough. Sometimes you had to rely on something more primal, more instinctive. And that's what this fight had become—a test of my ability to survive not just with skill, but with something deeper.

I let Mazekar press the attack, letting it come closer, feeling the brush of its claws against my skin, the venom sizzling against my mana barrier. I dodged and deflected, each movement smoother than the last, more precise. My instincts were sharpening with every second, my body reacting without thought, without hesitation.

The rhythm of the fight became clear. I knew Mazekar's patterns now, its movements predictable even in the chaos of illusions swirling around us. It was a beast driven by desperation, by instinct—just like me.

But unlike me, it didn't have control.

As Mazekar lunged once more, I felt the moment arrive. My instincts screamed at me, guiding my hand as I deflected its final strike. This time, I didn't hold back. With a swift motion, I spun my estoc, black flames igniting along the blade, and drove it deep into the creature's side.

CLANK!

Mazekar let out a final, agonized screech as the black flames of the Flame of Equinox consumed it from within. Its body convulsed, then crumbled.

"ROAAAR!"

"SCREECH!"

"SWOOSH!"

The illusions continued to take presence over my head, filling it directly.

Yet, I did not care at all.

"Haaaah….."

I stood there, breathing heavily, my estoc still glowing with the faint remnants of the black flame. My eyes remained closed, my senses still sharp, still attuned to the fight. But now, there was only silence.

I had won. But more importantly, I had trained.

[Are you done?] Vitaliara's voice came softly into my mind, breaking the silence that had settled over the chamber.

I nodded, my breathing still a little heavy as I steadied myself. I was taking control of my breath, pulling myself back from the raw intensity of the fight. "Yeah," I murmured, feeling the slight tremor in my body as the adrenaline began to fade.

[Good. I didn't want to disturb you,] Vitaliara continued, her tone thoughtful. [I felt like you were in 'the zone,' so I decided to let you handle it without interference. That's why I didn't help.]

I gave a faint smile, still not opening my eyes. "You did well. I was indeed in the zone."

She had sensed it.

That primal focus, that clarity of mind where everything else fades away, and all that matters is the fight. It had been a long time since I'd felt that kind of connection with my instincts, and it had been necessary for a fight like this.

With a deep breath, I opened my eyes.

The illusions were still there, countless monsters filling the chamber, their grotesque forms twisting and snarling, surrounding me like a sea of phantoms. But now, they seemed distant, insignificant. I could feel their presence, but there was no longer any real threat. The final, true monster had been dealt with, and the illusions were nothing more than an echo of the dungeon's magic.

I stood there calmly, my estoc still glowing faintly with the remnants of the black flames from the Flame of Equinox. The real challenge had passed, and now I could move forward. I had what I needed—the cores from the real monsters.

[What are you going to do now?]

Vitaliara asked, looking at me with her curious eyes. Indeed, it was understandable that she was curious. After all, now that I have dealt with the 'real' monsters, we need to advance to the next stage.

"Didn't you say you wanted to witness a good show? It is about to come now."

It was time to put on a good show.

Chapter 156: The Vault (6)

I crouched down, gathering the cores of the fallen monsters one by one, their faint glow pulsing with energy as I placed them carefully in my pouch. As I worked, I could feel Vitaliara's curious gaze on me.

[What are you going to do now?] she asked, her voice light, but her eyes sharp, watching my every move.

"Didn't you say you wanted to witness a good show?" I replied with a smirk. "It's about to come now."

As I continued picking up the cores, I glanced at her. "You must have seen quite a few strong people while traveling with my master, haven't you?"

Vitaliara tilted her head, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully before she nodded. [Indeed, I've met many strong people—mages, warriors, even those who dabbled in darker arts.]

I chuckled softly. "Have you ever thought about what they all have in common?"

Vitaliara paused, considering my question. [Common? Well,] she mused, [talent, of course. Hard work, training, and... maybe an unshakable determination?] Her voice was thoughtful, though not entirely convinced by her own answer.

I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips as I reached for another core. "No, that's not it."

[Oh?] Her curiosity was piqued. [Then what?]

"It's not just talent or hard work," I said, standing up and brushing the dust off my hands. "The one thing that most strong people have in common… is that nearly all of them have some sort of weird quirk."

Vitaliara blinked in surprise. [A quirk?] She tilted her head, a bit of amusement creeping into her voice. [Explain.]

I laughed softly as I tossed a core into my pouch. "Think about it. My master said he met a mage with a strange obsession with perfecting one single spell for decades, even though everyone told him it wasn't necessary.

He also said that he met a swordsman once who refused to use anything but the oldest, most rusted blades he could find—he said they had more 'character.' And well, he himself was also quite a bit..."

Vitaliara's eyes widened in realization, the pieces clicking together. [Ah, I see now. They're all a little… eccentric.]

"Exactly," I said, nodding. "On the path of strength, it is quite hard to stay sane, after all."

[That is...] Vitaliara trailed off, clearly thinking deeply about what I'd said.

I let the silence linger for a moment before speaking again, my tone casual. "So, what do you think Arlen Morrowind's quirk is?"

Vitaliara blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. [His quirk?] she repeated, her voice laced with confusion. [I… don't know. What could it be? He was an Archmage, one of the strongest mages of his time. Surely his focus was on something grand, something important, right?]

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Come on, you must've noticed it already."

She tilted her head, clearly searching for an answer but coming up short. [Noticed what? I can't say I've seen anything that stands out…]

"The small details," I said, a knowing smile creeping onto my lips. "It's all in the details. Puzzles would be the right word for it."

[Puzzles?] Vitaliara sounded even more confused now, though there was a hint of realization creeping into her voice. [Wait… you mean all of this, the traps, the illusions, even the way the dungeon is structured, it's like a giant puzzle?]

I nodded, tossing another core into my pouch. "Exactly. Arlen Morrowind wasn't just obsessed with raw power or grand displays of magic. His quirk was puzzles—small, intricate details hidden in plain sight. His dungeons are all about testing not just your strength but your mind. He wanted to see if those who entered his domain could think their way out of a trap, not just fight their way out."

Vitaliara's eyes widened in understanding, her voice carrying a newfound respect. [So, everything here has been a test, a puzzle for us to solve.]

"Precisely," I said. "And we've been solving it piece by piece. That's his quirk. It's not about brute strength or overwhelming power. It's about outsmarting the game he's laid out in front of us."

I looked toward the path ahead, feeling the weight of the cores in my pouch. "Now all that is left is the need to figure out the final piece of this puzzle."

Vitaliara looked around, her gaze scanning the chamber as the illusions continued to swirl around us. Her expression was a mix of confusion and curiosity. [What's the puzzle now, then? I don't see anything out of place.]

I smirked, already knowing the answer. "Details," I said simply, my voice calm as I knelt down, retrieving the core of the first monster I had killed. "It's always the details—things we tend to overlook."

[Details?] she repeated, still not quite grasping the concept.

I smiled as I carefully slipped the core into my spatial ring alongside the others. "Think about it. Why did I keep all these cores in order? Why not just store them randomly?"

Vitaliara's eyes flickered with understanding but still lacked complete clarity. [Wait… you kept them in order? Why?]

"This," I said, standing up and brushing the dust from my knees. I moved toward the area where I had first entered the dungeon, the illusions still dancing around us, but they were nothing more than distractions now. My focus was on the ground beneath my feet, the small details that most would have ignored in the chaos of the fight.

Finally, I reached the spot—right where I had first stepped into this chamber. And there, almost imperceptible, was a small cavity carved into the stone floor. It was perfectly shaped as if waiting for something specific to be placed inside.

I knelt down and held the core above the cavity.

"This is why," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, before gently placing the core into the small space. It fit perfectly, without any wasted room. As soon as the core clicked into place, a faint hum resonated through the chamber, the illusions around us flickering for a moment.

The faint hum from the chamber reverberated through the air, and for a split second, I saw it—parts of the illusion flickered, edges becoming hazy before they slowly began to dissolve.

Vitaliara mumbled under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she observed the changes. [The cores… they need to be put in order?]

I smiled at her quick deduction. "You're catching on fast," I said with a nod.

Without hesitation, I reached for the second core stored in my spatial ring. This puzzle, this sequence—it wasn't a mystery to me. I knew it well, thanks to the novel. The male lead of the Magic Tower had stumbled upon it after countless attempts, trial, and error that nearly drove him mad. But I had the advantage. I didn't need to fumble through different combinations or test the wrong answers.

I knew the order.

Holding the second core, I moved toward the next spot in line. The illusions around me still danced, but I could sense their presence weakening. They were no longer the threat they once seemed, just shadows clinging to the magic of the dungeon.

"This part was frustrating for the protagonist," I muttered, more to myself than to Vitaliara. "He spent weeks figuring out the right sequence."

[Protagonist?] Vitaliara repeated, astonished.

"Ah…..Don't mind me."

Sometimes, such slip-ups can be made, but it is always better to be careful in the future when such things occur.

TOK!

I placed the second core into another small cavity on the floor, identical to the first. As soon as it clicked into place, the hum returned, stronger this time. Another section of the illusion faded, unraveling like a loose thread.

With quiet confidence, I stood and moved toward the next spot, already reaching for the third core. The path was clear in my mind, thanks to the knowledge from the novel. I didn't need to guess—I just needed to follow the steps that had already been laid out.

"We're almost there," I said, more to myself as I prepared to place the next core.

One by one, I placed the cores into their destined locations, each fitting perfectly into its small cavity. The hum of the dungeon's magic grew louder with each core, and the illusions continued to flicker and fade. The path was clear in my mind, the sequence from the novel guiding me step by step.

"To the right," I muttered, reaching for the third core and moving toward the next spot. I could almost hear the protagonist's frustration in my mind as I remembered how many times he had tried and failed. But I didn't have to go through the same torment. I knew exactly what to do.

TOK!

The third core clicked into place, and another section of the illusion unraveled, like threads coming loose from an old tapestry.

"To the one on the right center," I whispered to myself as I moved to the fourth core, slipping it into the next cavity without hesitation. The hum grew stronger, almost resonating through the floor beneath my feet. The dungeon was responding, slowly revealing its true form.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh cores followed in quick succession, each one placed without any space wasted.

With the last core in hand, I made my way to the final cavity, the one that would complete the sequence and fully dispel the illusions. The magic in the chamber seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting for this moment.

"Here we go," I muttered, placing the final core into its slot.

As soon as it clicked into place, the hum transformed into a deep, resonant vibration, and in an instant, the remaining illusions shattered. The false monsters, the distortions in the air—all of it vanished, leaving the chamber bathed in a soft, ethereal glow.

The puzzle was complete.

Chapter 157: The Vault (7)

The soft glow that bathed the chamber made everything feel serene. But before everything went down, there was one final thing that one needed to do.

"Vitalaira," I called, keeping my voice light.

[Hmm?] She turned to me, curiosity evident in her feline gaze.

"Climb up there," I said, pointing toward the chamber's walls, which stretched high above us.

[Why?] she asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

I simply smiled. "Just do it. Trust me."

She gave me a skeptical look but complied without further question. Her sleek form moved effortlessly as she scaled the walls with quick, agile paws, her movements feline and graceful. Within moments, she had ascended to a vantage point near the ceiling, her gaze sweeping over the chamber from above.

From her elevated position, I waited for her reaction, knowing what she was about to see would put the final piece of the puzzle into place.

The moment Vitaliara reached her vantage point high above the chamber, I watched her eyes widen slightly, her expression shifting into one of surprise. She looked down to the ground, her feline grace momentarily overshadowed by confusion.

[Huh?] she mumbled, her voice carrying just enough for me to catch.

I couldn't help but smile. "What do you see?" I asked, already knowing what had caught her attention.

She hesitated for a moment before responding, her tone laced with disbelief. [It says... 'Welcome, Player.']

I chuckled softly. "Exactly."

From her elevated position, she could now see the full layout of the chamber below—each core I had placed, every section of the illusion that had disappeared, all forming the perfect pattern that spelled out those words. It was the final flourish of Arlen Morrowind's puzzle.

I called down to Vitaliara, still smiling as she remained perched high above. "Come back down."

Without hesitation, she leaped from the wall, her sleek form landing gracefully on my shoulder, her paws barely making a sound. Her eyes were still wide, trying to piece together what she had just witnessed from above. I could sense her curiosity bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Get ready for the show," I said with a grin, my voice low.

She looked at me, her feline eyes narrowing. [Show? What are you planning?]

I ignored the question and faced forward, the words already forming on my tongue. "I am welcomed."

The moment the words left my lips, the entire space reacted.

RUMBLE!

The ground beneath us shuddered violently, as if some ancient force had been awakened. The air filled with a deep, resonating hum, and the walls began to move, sliding and shifting like pieces of a massive puzzle being realigned.

CRACK!

Tremors surged through the chamber, shaking the very foundation we stood on. It was as if the entire dungeon had come alive, responding to the activation of the final puzzle.

[What's happening?] Vitaliara's voice carried a rare note of alarm as she dug her claws into my shoulder for balance.

The walls groaned and rumbled, massive stone slabs sliding into place as though the entire room was being reshaped.

Vitalaira's claws dug into my shoulder, her balance threatened by the violent tremors. [What's happening?] she asked, her usual composure shaken.

I just smiled, letting the chaos around us unfold. "In this world, not everything is just about magic," I replied, my voice calm despite the quaking ground beneath us. "There are many things that can be achieved without the involvement of mana."

She looked at me, still bewildered, her feline instincts sensing the shift but not fully understanding. [What do you mean?]

"This place is a prime example of one of those things," I continued, gesturing toward the walls that continued to shift and slide as if part of some ancient, intricate mechanism.

The tremors grew louder, the grinding of stone against stone reverberating through the chamber. And then, with a final groan, the walls parted, revealing a hidden path behind them. The dust and debris settled as the convulsions stopped, leaving the newly opened passage gleaming with an eerie, faint light.

"There," I said, nodding toward the opening. "That's the true way forward."

The hidden passage gleamed with a soft, eerie light, revealing a smooth, spiraling staircase that descended deeper into the dungeon. The walls around it were lined with faintly glowing symbols, casting a dim but steady illumination that guided the way forward.

"Well, that's one way to welcome someone," I muttered to myself, glancing at Vitaliara perched on my shoulder. Her feline eyes darted around, still processing the transformation of the chamber, though she didn't say a word.

The path was clear, and there was no point in delaying any further.

I took the first step onto the staircase, feeling the smooth, cold surface beneath my boots as I began my descent. Each step echoed softly in the chamber, the weight of the dungeon's secrets pressing down on me as we descended deeper into the unknown.

"It's time," I said quietly, more to myself than to Vitaliara. "Time to collect what I came for."

The promise of the reward lay just ahead, waiting for me at the bottom of this spiral.

As I continued walking down the spiral staircase, Vitaliara's ears twitched, and she suddenly spoke up, her voice tinged with both curiosity and wariness. [I can feel it again. The strong energy we sensed when we first entered the dungeon. It's... stronger now.]

I nodded, my eyes fixed on the glowing path ahead. "That's because we're nearing the source," I replied calmly. "The energy we felt at the start was just a faint echo. Here, it's contained."

The air grew heavier with every step, the weight of the mana pressing down on us, thick and tangible. We reached the bottom of the staircase, and before us, a vast chamber opened up, revealing a sight that even I hadn't fully expected.

The space was massive, far larger than any of the previous rooms in the dungeon. The walls were lined with ancient runes, and at the center of the room was a raised platform, glowing with an intense, pulsating energy.

The sheer force radiating from the platform made the air hum.

Vitaliara leaped down from my shoulder, landing gracefully on the ground. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight, her usually composed expression giving way to astonishment.

[This…] she murmured, barely able to form the words as she gazed at the spectacle before us.

I smiled, my own eyes fixed on the platform ahead. "We've reached the heart of Morrowind's Vault."

Vitaliara's astonishment didn't wane as she continued to gaze at the energy radiating from the platform. Her eyes flickered with recognition, her voice filled with awe. [This... this is a Minor Fundamental Vein.]

I, of course, knew what a minor fundamental vein was. After all, this place was also explained in the novel directly from the male lead's eyes.

Though I still let her continue talking and still staring at the pulsating energy, Vitaliara continued. [It's an extremely rare type of Mana Vein. You'd be hard-pressed to find another like it in the world. The moment such veins are discovered, they're immediately claimed by humans or any other Awakened, drained for their power.]

She looked really impressed.

[The mana concentration in a place like this is far denser than normal areas. It allows anyone cultivating near it to accumulate energy much faster,] she explained, her voice filled with a sense of wonder. [It's not just the amount of mana either—the quality is higher, purer. Training or recovering here makes everything far more efficient. That's why these veins are so sought after.

They don't last long once found.]

I mean, it was no wonder that the energy felt so potent. The vein itself was amplifying everything around it, creating an atmosphere perfect for cultivation.

[But the most impressive thing here is the fact that someone was able to seal this place off for future newcomers.]

"Well, for an Archmage, this vein means nothing after all. So why not reserve it for the future generations?"

[Your humans are always interesting.]

I smiled at Vitaliara's comment, watching as the energy from the Minor Fundamental Vein swirled around us. "Humans can be complicated, but I suppose that's part of the fun, isn't it?" I said lightly, stepping closer to the glowing platform.

The vein's power was undeniable, but knowing it had been reserved for those who could solve the puzzle made it even more intriguing. Arlen Morrowind had created a test not just for strength but for insight, a reward for those who could understand the subtleties of his design.

"Still, to think something like this was left behind," I mused aloud. "The power alone could bring a lot of people to ruin if it fell into the wrong hands."

[Perhaps that's why it was hidden so well,] Vitaliara said, her eyes still glowing with amazement. [Only those who could see beyond the obvious would find it.]

"Exactly," I replied. "A perfect reward for the right mind."

I let my gaze linger on the platform for a moment longer, feeling the anticipation build.

Since it was the time to finally reach the 4-star realm.